Moving-picture camera



- 1.69103 1926' c. P. WATSON M (9. W 35-1 @Ltowwq Jan. 12 1926.

. c. P. WATSON MOVING PICTURE CAMERA 1920 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 13,

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C. P. WATSON MOVING PICTURE CAMERA Filed-May 13. 1920 SSheets-Sheet 5 Patented Jmiz, 1926.

uurrsn STATES P 1 m 2. wnrson, or new roan, n. "Y.

aroma-Herons omens.

Application filed May 13, 19:20. Serial in. 381,175.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES P. WA'rsoN, citizen of the United States, and resident of the city of New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have inmany times, 16 per second, whereby the positions therefrom may be projected at amuch slower rate, as for example, about 16 per second and the. motion of the object may be easily analyzed. I find that for the proper analysis-of motion in this manner it 1s desirable that the exposures-be madein the camera at the rate of about 150 per second or' more. The main object of the invention is to provide a moving picture camera so constructed thatit is capable of intermittently feeding a strip of negative film at this high rate of speed without undue wear or breakage of parts and in which the effects of vibration are reducedto a minimum. Further and more specific objects, features and advantages will more clearly appear from the detail description given below taken in connection with the accompanying drawings which form part of this specification. In the drawings Fig.

1 is a side view of the film moving parts in one side of a camera embodying my improvements in one'form. Fig. 2 is a similar View of the gearing in the other side of the camera. F 1g. 3 is a section' taken on through the lens holding I having vertical centrally disposed therein a line 3-3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a detail section taken on the line 4 4 of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a face View of the gate in front of which the negative film passes. Fig. 6 is a section taken on a line 66 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a detail section of the frictional take-up device and Fig. 8 is a section arts.

Referring to Fig. 1,' It ere show a box ametallic frame plate 11 by which most of the parts are carried. 13 represents in dotted lines a small case or boxin which is suitably pivoted the unexposed roll of negative film 14, the film indicated at 15 being drawn therefrom and passing over an idler 16 and around under a positively driven.

sprocket 17 which engages the usual perforations along each side of the film in order to feed the film forward positively at a relatively uniform rate of s eed. A pressure roller is shown at 18 \f dr causing the film to properly track with the underneath side of the sprocket 17.- The roller 18 is pivoted on an arm19 which is pivoted on a pin 20, the arm 19having a notch in one end engaged by a loop in a leaf -spring 21 to hold the roller 18 in operative position; The'arm 19, however, may be swung coun-l tor-clockwise as viewed. in Fig. 1 againstl the action of spring 21 in-order to movel the roller 18 away from the sprocket 17 when the film is first threaded into the ap paratus. A similar roller is shown at 21 causing the film to track with the upper portion of the sprocket 17 which roller 21 is secured to an arm 22 loosely pivoted on an arm and lilrewise provided with a notch engaged by the loop of spring 21 for normally holding the arm 19 and roller 21 in operative position, but permitting the same to be swung clockwise to permit the film to be easily threaded about the sprocket 17. From the sprocket 17 the film 15 ex tends into a loose loop 23 and then down in front of the gate 24 in front of an exposure opening or window in the plate member 25 forming the rear part of a chamber of which a plate 26 forms the front sidev as viewed in Fig. 1. From in front of the bottom of the gate 24 the film passes around intermittently driven sprockets 27 and thence in the form of a loop 28 to the sprocket 29 which is constantly driven at a relatively uniform rate of speed. 30 represents an idler for causin t e film to properly track with one side 0 the sprocket 29, the idler 30 being mounted on an arm 31 pivoted at 32 and held against a fixed stop 33 by spring 34. From the rear side of the s rocket 29, film passes around idler 35 an thence to the take-up reel 36in a suitable box 37. The gate24 is hinged to lugs onthe frame plate 11 by means of pins 38 and 39 (see Fig. 5) and is provided with a latch 40 adapted to engage a catch 41 on the plate 25 to securely hold the gate. in o eratlve osition. The latch is provided with a ban le member 42 whereby the latch may be raised to unlatch the gate and swing it back from the plate 25 in order that the film may be easily threaded in front of the gate. The gate 24 is provided with pressure plate' guide member 43 secured to one end of studs 44 pass- Ill) lit

1 en sprocket 17 so that this manner the ing loosely through the gate 24: and having their other ends engaged by leaf springs which tend-to press the pressure plate 43 toward themember 25 in order to hold the film flat thereagainst as it passes between the pressure member 43 and the plate 25, The gate 2% is also 'provided with two lower pressure uide members 4-6 for similarly pressing t e film toward the plate 25 and for this urpose each member 46 is pro vided with; pins projecting into the gate member 24 which pins are surrounded by spiral springs 47, one end of each of which bears against its member 46 and the other end of each of which bears against the bottom of a recess in the gate member 24. At its lower end the gate member 2a is rovided with two hook members 48 in w ich rests a pivot rod 49 having rigidly secured thereto guides 50 adaptedto be turned under so that their curved edges fit quite close to the sprockets 27 and cause the film to properly track thereonf In order to hold the uides 50 in this position, they are pro vide with a pin 51 adapted to slide over flat spring member 52 when the gate 24 is swung to and latched, the spring member 52 being rigidly secured tothe frame work. A

flat spring 41' tends to prevent the pivot rod49 from coming'out of the hooks 48.

The casing of which plates 25 and 26 form the rear end and front side respectively, is provided with a top metal plate member 53 and a front metal plate member 54 (see Fig, 8) and rigidly secured together and to the frame plate ll by machine screws; ltigidly secured to the end of the front member 54 by machine screws 55 is a circular member 56 provided with screw threads at 5'? whereby the usual lens may be screw threaded thereto and thus secured by metal parts to the metallic frame 11 Also secured'to the front of the camera is a circular member 58 provided with screw threads at 59 to which any suitable light shade may be secared for shading the lens.

rotating the spindle 60. Referring to Fig.

Qthe spindle 60 or shaf 60 extends through and has a bearing in the metallic frame plate 11 and has secured thereto on the opposite :side of the frame plate ll, gear 63 meshing with gear-dawn a shaft 65 The gear 64 meshes with a gear 68 on shaft 67 and the ear 68 meshes with gear 69011 a shaft 70. "heft 70 extends through the frame plate 11 and on the opposite side thereof has rigidly secured thereto the continuoiis drivsprocket 17 iscontinuously driven at a substantially uniform rate of s eed. The shaft 70 also carries a worm mes ring with worm memos gear 71 secured on a shaft rotating in a frame member 73 which shaft has rigidly secured thereto a gear 74 meshing with the gear 75 securcdon a shaft 76, which shaft extends to the rear end of the camera and provided with a suitable indicator at 78 for indicating the number of feet of film reeled off, in a manner well understood by those skilled in the art. The shaft 67 also has rigidly secured thereto a gear 66 mesh ing with gear 79 on shaft 65. The gear 79 meshes with gear 80 on shaft 81. The shaft 81 also has rigidly secured thereto a gear 82 meshing with a gear 83 on shaft 84. Also rigidly secured to the shaft 81- is a gear 85 which meshes with gear 86 on shaft 87, to which is also rigidly secured a fiy-wheel 88. The shaft--84 extends through the metal frame plate 11. and has secured on the 0pposite side thereof the constantly driven sprocket 29. Also meshing with the gear 82 is a gear 89 which in turn meshes with a gear 90 rigid on shaft 91, Also'rigid on shaft 91 is bevel gear 92 meshing with a bevel gear 93 secured to a shaft 9i which carries and drives the rotary shutter 95 which may be of any suitable or well-known construction. Secured to the frame member 11 is an oil-tight casing 96 (see Figs. 3 and 4) into which the shaft 87 extends and has integral with the inner end thereof the pin member 98 of a Geneva movement. The. pin member 98 is provided with three pins 99 and a solid locking center 100, adapted to engage the star member 10l 'of the Geneva movement which is provided with four slots 102 for engagement with the pins 99. The star member is pinned to a shaftl03 which extends through the frame plate 11 and has rigidly secured thereto on the opposite side of the frame plate 11 the intermittently driven sprockets 27.

l have found that in taking exposures at high speed such as for example, about 150 or more per second, that the ordinary form of Geneva movement will not properly withstand the strain', but by reinforcing the star member by making the back thereof solid and extending across the slots 102 as at 104-, the star member if made of proper material is sufficiently reinforced soas to withstand the shocks givenv it when the apparatus is driven at such high speed; The wear and tear on each of tlfc pins 99 is also decreased by providing three or a plurality thereof so that each one onlyreceives one-third of the wear of the shocks, and the whole driving pin' member 98 is made stronger and heavier so to'makc a more even and uniform running at such high speed, by making the locking center solid. At the top of the casing 96 I provide a tube 105 normally closed by screw plug 106 which may be removed and oil or other lubricant fed into the casing 96 to'sub tially till the same so that the Geneva movement may run in the oil or other lubricant.

Referring to Fig. 2 the shaft 60 also has rigidly secured to it a large gear 107 meshing with a gear 108 rigid on shaft 109 which has rigidly secured thereto a large gear 110 shaft 112 (see Fig.7), which shaft extends through the frame plate 11 and on the other side thereof has rigidly secured to it an arm 113 provided with pins 114 for engager' ment with the take-up reel to drive the same. The shaft 112 is provided with an integral disc 115 and between the disc 115 and gear 111 is provideda friction disc or Washer. Also mounted on the shaft 112 on the other side of the gear 111 is a washer 1.17 and between the washer 117 and the gear 111 is a friction washer 118. 119 represents a split nut adapted to he placed on the shaft 112, in any adjusted position in .a manner well understood by those skilled thus driving the shaft 112 with this iri'ctional connection the take-up reel will only be driven as fast as film is supplied thereto for taking" up although the gear 111 will be driven at a slightly greater speed. By this arrangement a positive take-up of the film is obtained at the high rate of speed at which the apparatus is driven. Uh the end of the shaft 111 is provided piece 121 which may he to tu n the L shaft 112 the take-up reel ous gears order to move them- Slu whenthe is losing threaded througi apparatus.

In order t vibrations due to the rapidity with i ion the app-era s is driven may not affect the pictures idly secure to the frame plate 11as lay screw (see Figs. 1 and 2) and a stud 1%., which stud is enlarged at e bottom and extends part way through the hottom wood on boards of the box structure 10. Screwthreaded into the bottom of this metallic stud 12 1 firmly thereto a meshing with a small gear 111 loose on a the lensso that it will not interfere in a manner well understood parts to the metallic frame plate 11 whereby the ellect of vibrations 0n the pictures is substantially eliminated or materially reduced. That is, by thus providing means whereby the tripod or supporting structure is secured firmly to the frame plate 11 by metal connecting parts the disadvantageous effects due to vibrations of the camera as a whole with respect to the objects being photographed, will be materially reduced or eliminated even though the film be intermittently fed at very high speed. This is especially important since the high speed at which the parts are driven tends to ac centuate or increase the effect of such vibrations. A large metal plate 140 is also secured to the bottom of the camera which tends to increase its steadiness. Also by connecting or securing the lens structure firmly to the frame plate 11 through the metal connecting parts 56 5d,'etc., the lens is held firmly to the film supporting parts at the point of exposure whereby vibrations of the lens with respect to the film at the point of exposure is substantially red ced or eliminated. The gearing is such that upon giving the shaft or spindle 60 one revolution, the shaft 87 carrying the pin member of the Geneva movement will be given about fifty or more revolutions whereby for each revolution of the driving spindle 60, sprockets 27 will be given about 150 or more intermittent movements.

. 125 repress to a shaft pivoted in front of the camera and having one end F tending through the front the can to which end is secured a handle lever memher 126'. .Atthe other end there is seer to the shah. 125 arm 12? pivoted vertical member 1519 which its l carries prisnrfor use in focusing era. By throwing handle the prism is to a position 0 the focusing window 128 in. which intercepts the light rays throu.

in art. Upon swin member 1 6 in the oppo prism is raised to a pos where out of the path of the light passing thro the exposure of the film.

1n order to decrease the eneratio heat en the film is inter" ently r at the l a rate of speed scrro 1 coat the perfo film w'ich engage the C with one or more costs 0 act as e 'ihricant therefor. 1, stood rat the wooden he Wructure provided with suitable doors, one hi on one side by hinges at 130 (see F and ie other hinged on the other sit hinges 131 (see Fig. 2) whereby who" he 330 doors are locked. closed, light 15 enclosed slotted portions of the driven member integrally connected along one side and the locking means of the driving center substantially solid, that these parts are'capable of withstanding for a considerable period of time the shocks due to driving the apparatus at a speed such that the driving member is given 150 or more movements per second. }It' will be understood that the other co-operating parts are constructed so as to be capable of likewise withstanding the shocks due to this high speed at which the parts are driven. The wear and heat due to friction is materially decreased by enclosing the Geneva movement in the casing 96 containing a'lubricant in which the movement runs. I preferably construct guide and bearing members 43 and 46 of wood as I find thatwhen so constructed they are less likely to cause friction and heating difficulties,

While I have described my improvements in great detail and with respect to one form thereof, I do not desire to be limited to such details and form since many changes may be made and the invention embodied in widely different forms without departing from the spirit and scope thereof in its broader aspects.

' What I claim-as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A high speed moving picture camera having a metal framework, mechanical means secured to and carried by said framework for intermittently feeding a negative film to be exposed, a light, excluding box structure substantially surrounding said framework and mechanical means and containing dark space for the film reels, a'lens structure through which the film is exposed, means whereby the lens structure is firmly secured to said frame work by metal connecting parts, a shutter cooperating to cut off the light through the lens when the film is moving between exposures,'means for driving the mechanism at a speed'to cause the film to be exposed at the rate of about 150 or more consecutive exposures per second and means whereby a slipporting standard -may be secured firmly to said frame work by metal connecting parts.

2. A high speed moving'picture camera having a metal supporting part adapted to I ture secured to said frame part be directly connected to a suppolting standard, a light-excluding box structure carried by said metal supporting part, a metallic lens-holding structure firmly secured to said metal supporting part by metallic connecting parts, means in said box structure for intermittently feeding a film past said lens structure, and a metallic frame in said box structure for holding the film in operative position with respect-to the lens and means firmly securing said frame to said metal supporting part and lens structure by metallic connecting parts, whereby any substantial relative vibration between the lens structure, film gate and standard is prevented when the film is driven at a speed of substantially more than 150 intermittent movements per second.

A high speed moving picture camera having a metal supporting part adapted to be directly connected to asupporting standard, a light-excluding box structure carried by said metal supporting part, a lens-holding structure firmly secured to said metal supporting part by metallic connecting parts, me 5 in said box structure for intermittently feeding a film past said lens structure, and a metallic frame in said box structure for holding the film in operative position with respect to the lens, whereby any substantial relative vibration between the lens structure and standard is prevented when the film is fed at a speed of substantially more than 150 intermittent movements per second.

4. A high speed moving picture camera having a light enclosing box structure having a metal supporting part adapted to be directly connected to a supporting standard, a metallic frame part in saidbox structure secured to said metallic supporting part by metallic connecting parts, a lens strucby metal connecting parts, means in said box structure for supporting a filmin operative position with respect to the lens structure, and

-'feeding mechanism carried by said frame part for'intermittently moving the film past the lens structure, whereby any substantial vibration between the lens structure, film supporting structure and standard is prevented when the film is driven at a speed of 150 intermittent movements per second. A high speed moving picture camera having a light enclosing box structure having a metal supporting part adapted to be directly connected to a supporting standard, a vertically arranged metal frame plate in said box structure and. secured to said metal supporting part by metal oonnectin parts, a vertical metal frame plate in sai box structure and extending at substantially a right angle to said aforementioned frame plate and secured thereto by'metal connectmg parts, a metallic lens holding structure secured to said last mentioned plate by metallic connecting parts, metallic means in the box structure for supporting a film in operative position with respect to the lens structure, said means being rigidly connect-. ed with the first mentioned frame plate, and feeding mechanism carried by said first mentioned frame plate for intermittently moving the film past the lens structure, whereby any substantial vibration between the lens structure. and standard is prevented when the film is driven at a speed of 150 intermittent movements per second.

6. A high speed moving'picture camera having a light excluding box with a metallic stud exten'di'ng' therethrough adapted to be directly connected to a supporting standard, a metallic frame plate directly screwed to said'stud, a metallic lens holding strud ture secured to said frame plate by metallic connecting parts, means in said box structure for supporting a film strip in operative position with respect to the lens structure, and feeding mechanism carried by said frame plate for intermittently moving the film past the lens structure, whereby any substantial vibration between the lens strucsides of each of which are integrally consaid framework for intermittently feeding a negativefilm to be exposed, said means including a Geneva movement having a driven member with slotted portions, the

nected respectively and a driving member with a plurality of driving pins and a substantially solid locking center, a lens structure through which the film is exposed, means whereby the lens structure is firmly secured to said frame work by metalconnecting parts, a shutter cooperating to cut oil light through the lens when the film is moving between exposures and means for driving the mechanism at a speed to cause the film to be exposed at the rate of about 152)1 or more consecutive exposures per secon 8. A high speed moving picture camera having a light inclosing box structure with metal supporting framework and space for reels of undeveloped negative film, mechanical means in said box structure and carried by said framework forintermittently feeding a negative film to be exposed, said means including a Geneva movement having; a driven member with slotted portions, the sides of each of which are integrally connected respectively and a driving member with a plurality of driving pins and a substantially solid locking center, a lens structure through which the film is exposed, means whereby the lens structure is firmly secured to said framework, a shutter cooperating to cut off light through the lens when the film is moving between exposures and means for driving the mechanism at a speed to cause the film to be exposed at the rate of about 150 or more consecutive exposures per second.

Signed at New York city,'in the county of New York and State of New York, this 11th day of Ma A. D. 1920.

" C HARLES P. WATSON, 

